It's not the economy, stupid! Nor is it the recession....
It's secession!

Bob Owens looks at what I think boils down to a very old American debate (whether there's a right to secession), and notices that some overwrought comments by actor Chuck Norris have led a plethora of lefties to label Norris a "terrorist," and even make Timothy McVeigh comparisons:

The left-wing blogosphere preferred not to address the weightier issue of what constitutes a totalitarian government in Norris' article. Nor did they seek to offer an alternative redress for the apparently sizable minority of the population that is presently feeling disenfranchised. Instead, they predictably went for the lowest of low-hanging fruit, hammering Norris -- and justifiably so -- for the wince-worthy use of the phrase "thousands of cell groups" to describe viewing parties being organized to watch a special episode of Glenn Beck's television show.

Instead of addressing the concerns of those Americans disturbed with the direction of our country or confining their criticism to the author of this commentary, liberal bloggers such as ataturk at Firedoglake instead attacked their fellow citizens. He deemed those who would watch Beck's show at one of these viewing parties as "a plethora of "Tim McVeigh brigades."

No surprise there. If Bush can be Hitler, Beck and Norris can easily be McVeigh.

Here's the Kos writer in question, demanding a debate over secession, portraying Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee as secessionist sympathizers:

The Republicans' most recent vice presidential candidate has a history of dalliances with a group that wants Alaska to secede from the Union. If she runs for president, it's quite possible that her main rival for the votes of the far right of the GOP electorate--which of course may have enough votes to chose their next nominee--could be a guy--Mike Huckabee--whose most prominent supporter is suggesting that Texas should consider seceding from the Union.

So, it's time that anyone giving succor or encouragement to those who advocate secession are asked the following questions:

Do you believe the government of the United States is a legitimate government?

Do you believe any part of what is currently the United States should secede from the United States?

Do you think Abraham Lincoln was wrong to prevent the states of the Confederacy from leaving the United States?

Do you consider the Republican party "the Party of Lincoln?"

(Um, before I'm hailed before a Senate subcommittee, am I allowed to ask whether the Democratic Party was the party of the Woodrow Wilson and the Ku Klux Klan?)*

I like the phrase "anyone giving succor or encouragement to those who advocate secession." Might this include those who voted for Sarah Palin?

How about those who support the Tea Party movement? After all, doesn't the name derive from the Boston Tea Party, and wasn't that advocative of secession from Britain?

Whether there is a right to secede is certainly open to debate. I'm living in Michigan, and I'm not sure that secession would be a good idea. Certainly not at the present time. But discussing whether it's a good idea -- even saying it might be -- is hardly terrorism. Nor does it constitute advocating the overthrow of the United States government by violence (as some of the Kossack commenters suggest).

One of the best divide-and-conquer tactics is to try to shift the argument and get people to take sides on an issue which is not before them. I don't think secession is imminent, nor do I think the Tea Party movement (most likely the intended target of this latest divide-and-conquer scheme) is secessionist. It's a protest movement. However, I think the people involved might become distracted, disheartened, and radicalized by the secessionist meme, thus delighting both the Kossacks and the WorldNetDaily crowd.

While the issue of secession is not before us, trying to shift the debate this way is a great way to mischaracterize much of the opposition, and best of all, it provides a great distraction from genuinely serious issues which are before us.

Perhaps that's the whole idea.

They won't stuff secessionism in my mouth.

*And of course the party of Bull Connor... (How could I forget that?)

More here about Wilson.

posted by Eric on 03.14.09 at 11:29 AM





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Comments

The Kos Kids are probably overlooking the convention held by several New England states to discuss secession during the War of 1812. Irag was not our first unpopular war.

David Avera   ·  March 14, 2009 04:00 PM

I agree. The left is, logically, trying to enage in a divide & conquer tactic. Additionally, the left said it was wrong when Obama's opponents engaged in guilt by association of his terrorist & anti-American friends. However, they view it as perfectly acceptable to smear their opponents with fallacious analogies.

adagioforstrings   ·  March 14, 2009 05:28 PM

So does this mean we can refer to liberals as the "Bill Ayers brigades"?

pst314   ·  March 14, 2009 06:07 PM

As a libertarian it never ceases to amaze me that my simple belief in the idea "Other people are not your property" is considered the extremist position.

Joe R.   ·  March 15, 2009 06:40 AM

There's too much stupidity in that Kos statement. the AIP was the independent
force, that's how Walter Hickel ended up as governor in the early 90s, right around the
time that Todd Palin joined it. Frankly the
Governor is the independent force, because the GOP up there is a solely owned subsidiary of the Major Oil companies and the Democrats are an adjunct of the DNC; hence the untenable recent choice between an extreme environmentalist and a pro choice
pro adoption judge. She has 60+ popularity
yet I don't see an elected coalition besides
the people. To try to discern an ideology out of Huckabee, well good luck there. One could say, there will eventually be a secession movement between the producers and the recipients of revenues, but that cuts
along class, not geographic lines

narciso   ·  March 15, 2009 12:20 PM

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